The Push to Reschedule Cannabis

The future of Cannabis now depends on a signature from President Trump.

On September 19, 2017, the California Legislature enrolled Senate Joint Resolution No. 5 (SJR-5) to “reschedule marijuana or cannabis and its derivatives from a Schedule I drug to an alternative schedule” . All that’s needed now is a signature from the President for it to be passed into law.

What this means is that both chambers of the California Legislature approved the amendments and submitted a final draft of the resolution to Congress and the President. Although the President’s signature is required to pass SJR-5 into law, it is anticipated to be a subject of great debate in Congress.

The Push to Reschedule Cannabis – MMJ DOCTOR

As a Schedule I drug, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) considers marijuana and marijuana products to have no medical significance and a high abuse potential. This puts marijuana in the same car as heroin, LSD, ecstasy, Quaaludes, and peyote.

Medical marijuana studies have proven the DEA’s assessment to be inaccurate by demonstrating how marijuana has produced valuable results among patients with specific medical conditions. Schedule I still restricts medical researchers and businesses from pushing marijuana to its full potential and optimal medical value.

Since Prop 64 passed in November 2016 and adult-use marijuana will soon be available in California in 2018 to adults who are 21 and over, the state has been sprinting to pass bills that will regulate and tax the marijuana business. However, since marijuana and marijuana products are considered Schedule I drugs, banks and credit card companies cannot offer their services without repercussions from the federal government.

A Schedule I status on marijuana hinders the state from properly regulating and tracking taxes, but it also impedes on the advanced medical research of marijuana by forbidding it from being researched on American college campuses, which house some of the greatest medical researchers in modern-day medicine.

Rescheduling marijuana would allow “legal research and development of marijuana or cannabis for medical use and allowing for the legal commerce of marijuana or cannabis so that businesses dealing with marijuana or cannabis can use traditional banks or financial institutions for their banking needs” (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, 2017).

This move would give California and many other states a greater opportunity to boost the economy on a state and national level through proper tax regulations. Rescheduling marijuana will also allow medical professionals to look deeper into the medical value of marijuana, essentially, opening the door to new forms of medicine and treatments through the use of medical marijuana.

In the end, the future of adult-use and medical marijuana are now in the hands of Congress and President Trump. A signature from the President has the potential to spark a new wave of economic growth in the United States, one that may even change the perspective of marijuana on future generations.

What Does This Mean For You?

The Push to Reschedule Cannabis

If marijuana is removed as a Schedule I drug, there will be more flexibility for many marijuana dispensaries and clinics. This would create a larger market for adult-use and medical marijuana while also creating jobs. For medical marijuana patients, a rescheduling means that new and safer forms of medical marijuana may soon be researched, tested, and produced. Additional research means that certain strains of marijuana can be researched and tested, basically laying the foundation to the future of marijuana consumption for specific conditions or a specific effect.

What this means for you, as the consumer, is that you will be able to legally possess medical marijuana and adult-use marijuana under local regulations without being restricted by federal guidelines. As a holder of a medical marijuana card, you will grant even more privileges at your local marijuana dispensary.

Don’t wait to get your medical marijuana card. You can meet with a doctor online today by going to zenMD.net or downloading the app on your smartphone. Schedule an appointment with a legal, state-licensed medical doctor to get your medical marijuana recommendation online today.

Will This Impact My Medical Marijuana Card?

No. In fact, having a medical marijuana card will only open up the availability to obtain medical marijuana or adult-use marijuana. Although Prop 64 dictates that applications for licenses to sell adult-use marijuana will be accepted starting January 2018, not all dispensaries will be granted licenses.

Having a valid medical marijuana card will allow you access to any marijuana dispensary in California. One aspect that may change is a transition of wording: from medical marijuana recommendation to medical marijuana prescription. By rescheduling medical marijuana from Schedule I to a lower level, doctors may be able to legally prescribe medical marijuana without any repercussions from state medical boards. The final decision on the proper medical wording will be decided once or if the rescheduling is accepted.

Get your medical marijuana card today. You can meet with a doctor online by going to zenMD.net or downloading the app on your smartphone. Schedule an appointment with a legal, state-licensed medical doctor to get your medical marijuana recommendation online.